Rotary fluid-pressure motor



G. H. GILMAN ROTARY FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR 2 sheets-sheet 1 original FiledAug, 1m 1918 ww w E uw .1,

ROTARY FLUID PRESSURE MOTOR Original Filed Aug. 17, 1918 gsheetsnsheet 2l (l, 6.3v 4

Patented Dec. l0, 1929 narran stares savana carica GEORGE H. G-LMAN, OFCLAREIVIONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, .ASSIGrNOIlR/V TO SULLIVAN MACHINERYCOlvHPANY, A CORPORATlON OF MASSACHUSETTS ROTARY FLUID-PRESSURE MOTORApplication filed August 17, 1918, Serial No. 250,389. Renewed July 8,1927.

rIhis invention relates to an improved rotary motor of the pressurefluidtype. More particularly my invention relates to an im- 1 proved`pressure fluid rotary motor in which certain portions of the mechanismhave both the function of developing rotary motion andthe function ofreducing the speed of drive.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved pressure fluidrotary motor which may be operated at a suitable speed to secure maximumefficiency, and which will at the same time drive the device or devicesto be driven at any desired speed. My invention has for a further objectthe provision of an improved pressure fluid rotary motor in which thetorque developed is relatively great in proportion to the bulk andweight of the mechanism. A means of accomplishing the above objects, andconstituting in itself a further object of my invention, is theprovision of a motor of the-character referred to whose elements are soconstructed and arranged that they will themselves act also as andconveniently manipulated.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, together with meanswhereby the same may be carried into effect, will best 4be understoodfrom the -following description of one illustrative form or embodimentthereof shown in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a complete percussiverock drill having a drill steel rotating motor constructed in accordancewith the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 2-2, Fig. 1, showingthe valve for controlling the rotating motor, its relative pestion beingat right angles to that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 1s a longitudinal section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are transverse sections, taken on the lines 4-4, 55,and 6-6, respectively, Figs. 1 and 3. l'

rEhe invention is herein illustrated as applied to and embodied in thedrill bit rotating motor of a percussive rock drill -of a well knowngeneral type. Said drill, as herein shown, comprises a main 'casingincluding a cylinder 10 containing the usual hammerl pisis a valvedevice for controlling the percus sive motor, said 'valve devicecomprising a conical valve casing 15 supplied with pressure fluidthrough a suitable pipe 16 communicating with the end of said casing,and a hollow conical throttle valve 17 rotatably mounted in said casingand provided with an operating handle 18. The ports and passages in the'valve and casing for admitting Huidpressure to the percussive motorare'not shown herein, being well known in the art, and forming no partof the present invention. The drillmay be provided with suitable fluidpressure feeding mtchanism for advancing the same'as the drillingprogresses, said mechanism as herein shown comprising-a feed cylinder 19having a projecting spur 20 a piston, and a piston rod 21 having anattaching flange secured to the head block 12 by the bolts 13, the wholebeing supplied with fluid pressure from any suitable source andcontrolled by a suitable throttle valve 22. The hammer piston abovereferred to may cooperate with a suitable anvil block 23 carried by thefront head 11, said anvil block engaging the rear end of a drill steel24 mounted in a chuck 25 in such a manner as to rotate therewith whilebeing capable of longitudinal movement therein, as by forming said drillsteel witha non-circular end which is received in a correspondinglyformed opening in said chuck, the latter being rotatably mounted in themain casing, as in a cylindrical sleeve-like extension 26 on the fronthead l1. The usual drill bit retainer 27 may, if desired, be employed,the rear ends of said retainer being supported by the projecting ends ofthe nuts 14, and the forward end thereof cooperating vwith a suitableshank or collar'28 formed on the drill steel'24, whereby said drillsteel is `retained in said chuck but is permited a liinited longitudinalmovement therein as above l mentioned.

The parts thus far referred to, except as i hereinafter pointed out, maybe of any usual 37 which engage the disk 33, said bolts being' 0r wellknown construction and arrangement and, being well known in the art,require no further description in detail herein.

For rotating the chuck 25, and consequently the drill steel 24thereisprovided a rotary fluid pressure motor embodying the presentinvention, said motor as herein shown being enclosed by a casing 29secured to the front head 11 by means of bolts 30 passing throughsuitable sleeve-like lugs 31 formed on said casing 29. Within the casing29 is a rotary element `or casing forming a part of the motor andcomprising a cylindrical portion 32 and two end heads or disks 33 and34. The members 32, 33, and 34 are held in assembled relationship bymeans of bolts 35 having nuts 36 which engage the head or disk 34, andheads preferably held against rotation with respect to the latterdisk,as by means of pins 38.

The head or disk 34 is rotatably mounted on a bearing portion 39 formedon the sleeve 26, While the head or disk 33 is connected by an.antifriction bearing 40 with the casing 29. .Extending centrallythrough the casing members 32, 33, and 34, is a cylindrical chamber 41arranged coaxial with the drill steel 24,

said chamber receiving the sleeve 26 and certain'other parts hereinafterreferred to. The member 32 is further provided with a plurality (hereinfour) of cylindrical rotor `G0' chambers 42, coaxial with the bolts 35and disposed symmetrically about the axis of the chamber 41 and withtheir axes parallel there- Located within each of the chambers 42 androtatably mounted upon the'corresponding bolt 35, is a sleeve 43 havingformed at one end a planet rotor or gear 44, herein, for example, havingspiral teeth which mesh with correspondingly formed teeth on a fixed sungear 45 keyed or otherwise securedto the 4 sleeve 26. Fast upon theopposite end of each of the sleeves 43 is a second planet gear or rotor46, herein likewise having spiral teeth oppositely inclined with respectto the teeth of the gears 44, the teeth of each of the gears 46 meshingvwith correspondingly formed teeth on a rotating sun gear 47 journaled atits inner end on the sleeve 26 and at its outer end in a sleeve-likeextension 48 of the end head 33, said gear 47 being suitably connectedtion of the .Oears 44 is transmitted to the gear 47 at a greatly reducedspeed.

By reference to Fig. l it will be seen that, by reason of the oppositeinclination of the teeth on the gears 44 and 45, on the one hand, andthose on the gears 46 and 47, on the other, each pair of gears 44, 46forms with the gears 45, 47 a double spiral or herringbone rotary motorcouple of familiar form, whereby by admitting fluid pressure at thepoint 48, the gears or rotors of each couple may be caused to rotaterelatively to each other in opposite directions, respectively. For sosupplying pressurefluid to each of the gears or rotors 44, 46, thefollowing connections are pro-` vided. y

Rotatably mounted Within the conical throttle valve 17 is a secondhollow conical valve 49 having a stem 50 arranged coaxially with thestem of the valve 17 and journaled within the same, said stem 50 beingprovided at its outer end with an operating handle 51. The valve 49 isformed with a port 52 adapted in one position of said valve 49 toregister with the port 53 in the valve 17 the latter port being in turnadapted, in one position of the valve 17, to register with the port 54in the valve casing 15. -The port 54 communicates with a passage .55extending longitudinally through the head block 12', cylinder 10, andhea-d 11, and communicating at its opposite end with an annular groove56 formed in the bearing surfaceA 39 of the sleeve 26.- Communicatingwith the groove 56 are passages 57 formed in the members34 and 32, andcorresponding in number to the rotor couples, said passages terminatingin air inlet ports 58 communicating respectively with the spaces betweenthe teeth'of the compound rotors or gears 45, 47 and the teeth of theseveral compound rotors or gears 44, 46 at points 48 approximatelymidway of the lengths of the terminate. For exhausting the Aair fromeach of the rotor couples, there is provided for each of'said couples,and at the side opposite the inlet port 58,1exhaust means 59 which opensthrough the disk or member 33 whence the exhaust fluid may pass throughthe bearing 40 and be discharged to the atmosphere through suitableopenings 60 in the casing 29.

For the purpose of lubricating the moving parts'f the motor, the member32 is formed at points intermediate the rotor chambers 42 with chambers69 (Fig. 5) constituting lubricant receptacles. Communicating with eachof the `lubricant chambers 69 at the outer side thereof, is a passage 61(Fig. 4) in the member 32, which passages 61 communicate with passages62 in the member 34, said passages 62 extending from the passages 61 ina direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the member 32,33,34, as indicated by the arrow on Fig. 4.v Each of the passages 62communicates through a port 63 with the bearing surface between theinner face of the l member 34 and the end of the corresponding gear orrotor 44, and also communicates through a port 64 with an axial chamber65 formed in the corresponding bolt 35. Each of the bolts 35 is formedwith one or more ports 66 leading from the chamber 65 therein andcommunicating with av lubricant groove 67 formed in its outer surface.As will be l seen, when the motor is in operation the lubricant in thechambers 69 will be thrown by centrifugal action to the outer sides ofsaid chambers, whence, by reason of the position of the passages 62 withrespect to the direction of rotation of the rotary casinfg,fsaidlubricant will pass through said passages to the ports 63 and 64. Thelubricant from the passages 64 passing throughthe chambers 65 and ports66 to the grooves 67 will lubricate the bearing surfaces between thebolts 35and sleeves 43, while the lubricant from the port 63 will workits way through the teeth of the rotors, being finally discharged withtheexhaust air upon the bearing 40, and being preventedfrom passing withsaid exhaust from Y said bearing `through the discharge opening 60 bymeans of an inwardly projectl-ng annular flange 68.0n the casing 29 andsurrounding said bearing.

The operation of the motor is as follows:

The valves 17 and 49 being in the position shown in Fig. 2, air fromthel supply pipe 16 will pass through the passage 55, groove 56,passages 57, and inlet ports 58, to the central space lbetween the teethof each rotor couple. Here we will irst consider the action of thepressure fluid on the members 44 and 45. The pressure of the fluid uponthe teeth of ,the planet gears 44 will rotate said gears in the rdirection of the arrow A on Fig. 5, causing I said gears to travel aboutthe fixed sun gear 45, carrying with them the rotary motor casing 3,2,and causing rotation of said casing in pressure fluid to the planet andsun gears 46 and 47, a similar action will take place between said lastnamed gears. Since, however, the gear 47 is not fixed, but is free torotate, and since the ratio between the numbers of teeth on the gears ofsaid last named pair is diderent from the ratio between the numbers ofteeth on the gears of said first named pair, while the movement ofrevolution of the gears 44 and 46with the casing 32 is the same, thegear 47, which carries with it the chuck 25 and drill steel 24, will becaused to rotate at a speed dependent upon the product of two factors,first the velocity ofthe casing 32 and second a value fou-nd bysubtracting from 1 ffm the :traction n where fequals the number wherebythe resultant speed developed by the y motor is greatly reduced, withinthe motor itself, with respect to the normal speed of rotation of themotor elements, and may, in designing the motor, be widely varied inaccordance with requirements by a simple variation in the relativenumber of teeth on thev several rotors of the set. lnthis manner thespeed of rotation of the rotors may be made as great as desirable forreasons of eiiiciency, while the resultant speed may be as slowpasdesirable for the purposes` to which it is put,

these results being accomplished by the use of' a single set'of rotorswhich perform the doul ble function of motor elements and speed reducingelements, .thereby doing away with ythe necessity usually encountered ofproviding reduction gearing in addition to the motor mechanism.

lt vwill furthermore be seen that, by the arrangementdescribed andshown, the combined torque of a plurality .of rotors. is applied to therotated element, these rotors being symmetrically disposed in suchamanner as to produce a balanced and very compact'` structure whereinthe ratio of the power generated to the bulk and weight of the parts is'125 very high. This motoris particularly well adapted to the purposesince it is fully capable of developing the power necessary for thepurpose of rotating a drill steel within a symmetrical structure of adiameter but little, if any, greater than herein illustrated,

that ofthe drill bit percussive motor cylinder 10.

While I have in this application specifically described one embodimentof my invention, it will be noted that the particular constructiondescribed and shown has been chosen for illustrative purposes merely,and that the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended may beotherwise practised without de arting from the spirit and scope thereof.at I claim as new'. and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is :fn 1. Afluid pressuremotor comprising a casing providing chambers communicatingwith l each other, a central cylindrical element rotatably mounted inone of said chambers, a second element rotatably mounted in another of said chambers and cooperating with said central element to form a fluidpressure receiving pocket of increasing volume as said elements revolveon their axes, means supporting said casing for rotation wherebyisaidsecondelementmay traverse an orbit about the axis of said centralelement, and means forsupplying motive fluid to said elements.

2. A fluid pressure motor comprising a rotary sun gear, a rotary planetgear cooperating therewith, means for supporting said gears permittingrevolution of said planet gear in arr/orbit about the axis of said sungear, said means comprising a rotatably mounted casing having rotor'chambers in which said gears are rotatable, and

means Afor supplying motive fluid to said gears to ei'ect rotationthereof. s

3. A fluid pressure motor comprising a rotatable chambered housing,coaxial fixed and rotary,7 central elements therein, connected rotaryelements disposed in said housing and cooperating with said centralelementsl respectively, said connected rotary elements being mounted insaid housing for revolution bodily about the axis of said centralelements, and means for supplying motive fluid to said several elements.

4f. A fluid pressure motor comprising a rotatable chambered casing, arotary central element therein, a group of spaced rotary elementssurrounding said central element and each forming with said centralelement a motor couple, said spaced rotary elements being also enclosedin said casing andy being mounted for orbital movement about the axis ofsaid central element, means for supplying motive fluid to each of saidcouples, and means including a stationary gear for effecting lrevolutionof said spaced rotary lelements 'rotatable and .said planet gearsrevolving gears and said member being mounted for rotation upon the axisof said sun)gears, planet gears in others of said chambers cooperatingwith said sun gears and mounted for rotation at equiangular rates, andmeans for supplying motive fluid to one 4,of said gears.

7. A combined fluid pressure mot-or and speed reducing mechanismcomprising a compound planetary gear train including a plurality ofcoaxial sun gears one of which is rotatable relative to the other, amember surrounding said gears and provided with a plurality of gearchambers in certain of which said sun gears are disposed, said memberbeing mounted for rotation upon the common axis of said sun gears,planet gears in others of saidchambers cooperating with said sun gearsrespectively and rotating and revolving at equal rates, and means forsupplying motive fluid adjacent the mesh lines of -each of said planetgears with its sun gear.

8. A combined fluid pressure motor and speed reducing mechanismcomprising a compound planetary gear train including a plurality ofcombined gear and motor couples each comprising intermeshing toothedelements, vthe tooth ratios of the couples being not all alike, meansconnecting an element of a couple having 'one tooth ratio forequiangular rotation with an element of a couple of a different toothratio, a rotatably mounted casing having chambers therein enclosing saidelements, and means for supplying motive fluid to one of said elements.

9. A combined fluid pressure motor and speed reducing mechanismcomprising a compound planetary gear train including a plurality ofcombined gear and motor couples each comprising intermeshing toothedelements, the tooth ratios of the couples being not all alike, meansconnecting an element of a couple having one tooth ratio for equiangularrotation with an element of a couple of a derent tooth rat-io, arotatably mounted casing having chambers formed therein and enclosingsaid elements, and means for supplying motive fluid to all of saidcouples.

10. A combined fluid pressuremotor and speed reducingy mechanismcomprisinga compound planetary gear train including coaxial xed androtary sun gears and con-v ioo nected planet gears cooperating with saidsun gears, respectively, said planet gears being mounted for revolutionin unison about the ,f

axis of said sun gears, each of said planet gearsforming with itscooperating sun gear a combined gear and motor couple, and the toothratios ofthe couples being not all alike, a rotatably mounted casinghaving chambers therein constituting cylinders in which said gears arerotatable, and means for supplying motive fluid to one of said gears.

11. A combined iuid pressure motor and speed reducing mechanismcomprising a compound planetary gear train including coaxial fixed androtary sun gears and connected planet gears cooperating with said sungears, respectively, said planet gears being lmounted for revolution inunison about the axis of said sun gears, each of said planet gearsforming with its cooperatingl sun gear a combined gear and motor couple,the tooth ratios of the couples being not all alike, a rotatably mountedcasing having chambers therein constituting cylinders in which saidgears are rotatable, and means for supplying motive Huid to each of saidcouples.

l2. A combined fluid pressure motor and speed reducing mechanismcomprising a compound planetary gear train including coaxial ixed androtary sun gears and a plurality of planet gear pairs each comprising aportion cooperating with said xed sun gear and a gear portioncooperating with said rotary sun gear, said planet gear pairs beingmounted for revolution in unison about the axis of. said sun gears, eachof said planet gear portions forming with its cooperating sun gear amotor couple, the tooth ratios of the xedsun gear to its cooperatingplanet gears being dierent from the tooth ratios of thelrotary sun gearto its cooperating planet gears, a

- casing having chambers therein constituting cylinders in which saidgears are rotatab e,

and means for supplying motive iluid to each of saidcouples.

13. In combination, a rotatable housing having intersecting i parallelcylindrical chambers formed therein, rotors having intermeshing toothblades and mounted in said chambers, means for supplying and exhaustingfluid pressure with respect to said chambers to cause rotation of saidrotors by the action of the fluid pressure between the teeth thereof,and means comprising a stationag7 gear and pinion rotating coaxiallywith one of said rotors. for causing rotation of said housing. v ,i

14. In combination, a rotatable housing having intersecting `parallelcylindrical chambers formed therein, rotors provided with intermeshingtooth blades which cooperate with each othen and fwith said housingupon. rotation of said rotors to formpockets expanding 'in volume, saidrotors being mounted in 'said chambers, means for jacent/the inceptionof said pockets to cause Vr'tation of said rotors andl for exhaustingsaid fluid, and means comprising a stationary gear and pinion rotatingcoaxially with one' of said rotors for causing rotation of sa'lidhousing.

l5. In a able on an axis parallel to that of one of said rotors anddriven on rotation of the latter, and a stationary gear with which saidpinion meshes to cause said casing to rotate.

16. A combined Huid pressure motor and speed reduction fmechanismcomprising a plural stage epicyclic gear train including a plurality ofmutually distinct combined, gear and motor couples each comprisingintermeshing toothed elements, a rotatably mounted casing havingchambers therein enclosing the couples of said gear train, and means forsupplying motive Huid to a plurality of the gear and motor couples ofsaid epicyclic gear train.

v17. ln combination, a rotatably mounted casing, a gear coaxialtherewith and constitilting a reaction element, a gear element carriedby said casing in a position odset from the axis of rotation of thelatter and meshing with said reaction gear whereby upon rotation of saidgear element the latter undergoes lorbital movement about the axis ofsaid reaction element and. causes rotationof said casing, sald casmghaving cyllndrlcal boresconducting exhaust fluid away therefrom,

and an operative connection between one of fluid pressure motor, incombination, a rotatably mounted casmg'haylng/a saidrotors and said gearelement whereby upon rotation of lsaid. rotor the casing is rotated uponits axis. v

18. linv combination, a rotatably mounted casing, a gear coaxialtherewith and constitutinga reaction'element, a gear element carried bysaid casing'n aposition oset from the axis of rotation of the latter andmeshing with the reaction gearwhereby uponrotation of the gear elementthe latter undergoes orbital movementiabout thej axis of the `reactionelement and causes rotation of said casing, said casing havingintersecting bores therein, intermeshing rotors in said bores, means forconducting motive fhlid to said rotors to eect rotation thereof and forconducting exhaust fluid away therefrom, and an operative connectionlbetween one of the rotors and the gear element whereby4 upon rotationof the rotor the casing is rotated upon its axis.

19. In a fluid pressure motor, in combination, a rotatably mountedhousing having intersecting parallel cylindrical chambers formedtherein, rotors provided with intermeshing tooth blades which cooperatewith each other and with said housing upon rotation of said rotors toform pockets expanding for causing rotation of said housing.

20. A pressure fluid operated drill rotation mechanism including a chuckand a gear train including a gear couple of which one gear is coaxialwith and rotates the chuck, a second gear couple having a gear coaxialwith the other gear of the first mentioned couple and connected theretofor rotation at equal angular rates, and means for supplying pressurefluid to the first gear couple and means for supplying pressure fluid tothe second gear couple.

' 21. In a-pressure fluid operated drill rotation mechanism, a chuck anda combined fluid pressure motor and speed reduction mechanism includinga gear train comprising a plurality of stages of reduction, a shaftbetween two stages, each of said two stages comprising a gear coupleofwhich one gear is on said shaft, and means for supplying pressurefluid to said gear couples.

22. In combination, a chuck and driving means therefor for effectingrotation thereof including a gear coaxial with the chuck, a geardisposed with its axis parallel to a line parallel to the axis ofthefirst mentioned gear, said first and second mentioned gears beingmutually distinct, gears meshing with the first and second mentionedAgears and connectedk with each other for rotation at equal angularrates, and means for supplying fluid to the teeth of each pair ofintermeshing gears to effect the production of power by each pair.

23. In combination, a chuck, and driving means therefor for effectingrotation thereof including a gear coaxial with said chuck, a geardisposed with its axis parallel to a line parallel to the axis of saidfirst mentioned gear butdis osed at the opposite side of a plane towhich said line is `perpendicular from said first mentioned gear, saidfirst and second mentioned gears-being mutually distinct, gears meshingwith the rst and second mentioned gears and connected with each Ionecouple being coaxial with and connected to one gearof the next couple inthe series for rotation at equal angular rates, each couplecomprisingintermeshing toothed elements,'and means for supplying motive fluid toall of said couples.

25. A, pressure Huid operated drill, rotation mechanism including achuck and a combined fluid pressure motor and speed reduc-ing mechanismlfor 'driving -said chuck comprising a gear train having a plurality ofmutually distinct combined gear and motor couples, each comprisingintermeshing toothed elements, a gear of one couple being coaxial withand rotating the chuck' and another of said couples having one of itsgears coaxial withthe other gear of said first mentioned couple', andmeans for supplying motive fluid to said couples.

26. In a pressure fluid-operated drill rotation mechanism, a chuckprovided with a gear Ifor driving the same, a pressure fluid motorcomprising a central toothed motor element disposed substantially'coaxial with said chuck` and distinct from saidchuck gear and an offsettoothed motor element disposed in intermeshing relation with saidcentral motor element and driving connections between said odset toothedmotor element and said chuck gear including aA 27. In a pressure fluidoperated drill roeach of said offset toothed motor elements i and saidchuck gear each including a driving member coaxial with the respectiveoff' set motor element. i

28. In a pressure fluid operated drill rotation mechanism, a chuckprovided with a gear for driving the same, asleeve-like extensioncarried by the fronthead 'of the drill, a pressure fluidmotorfsurrunding said osleeve, said motor/ comprising a central mesmetoothed motor element surrounding said sleeve, and a plurality of offsettoothed motor elements each forming With said central motor element agear couple in the form of interineshing toothed gear elements, saidmotor comprising means for supplying pressure fluid to each of saidgear' couples, and' driving connections between each of said olfsettoothed motor elements and said chuck gear each including a. drivingmember 'co axial With the respective oiset motor element.

In testimony 'whereof I affix my signature.

. GEORGE H. GILMAN.

